Join me here tonight! We’re live blogging the New York auditions!
Who will join Team Street with Twitch and Team Stage with Travis?
Is On The Town even open? I know Ricky got to do a run with the show, but I heard sales were awful long before he joined the show.
Jason wants something he hasn’t seen before. So… sheet music. Got it.
Paula wants to see your true soul.
Virgil Gadson- 27- Philadelphia, PA- Team Street
He auditioned in Season 8. I don’t remember him. He made it to Top 30, and got cut. Wow, so he made it pretty far. He was in After Midnight on Broadway. This kid is gonna kill it for Team Street. He’s gonna do some Hip Hop. With his Broadway training, it’s almost unfair for him to be Team Street. But, I’m a team street fan… so having another strong contender is good for me. He’s a little ball of energy, mixing a bunch of moves in with his killer personality. I think he got dropped because he’s so short it’s hard to pair him with someone. This season, I doubt he’ll have that problem. Nigel says he set the bar today for Hip Hop. Paula says “you’re what we’re looking for” and called him “a day at Disneyland”. Jason, with his multi-zipper vest, was “in”. Virgil gets a ticket to Vegas. Cat mentions “can he handle choreography”? Uh… he was on Broadway? Obviously. Calm down Cat.
Click to Watch Virgil Gadson’s Audition Video
Alexa Meyer- 19- Orem, Ut- Team Stage
She’s a stage dancer, and she says stage dancers have the advantage because of their training. She plans on showing her edgy side, as well as her sassy side. She’s slaying this contemporary solo. I’ll remember her. There’s a way that she looks out into the audience, like she knows she’s a great dancer. It’s a very “did you like that” kind of look. I could do with a little less sexuality in the dance, but otherwise it was well choreographed. Paula thought she had great showmanship, and saw moments of great connection, but said she also fell out of it. She gets booed. Paula throws some sass at the audience and Nigel boos her too. She continues and says she thinks nerves got to her. I think it was those looks she kept giving to the audience that caused her to break the connection to her dance. Jason says he was “there for it the whole time”. Nigel says she’s a definite yes. Nigel skips over Paula’s vote, but Paula was a Yes anyway. VEGAS!
Click to Watch Alexa Meyer’s Audition Video
Each dancer has a reason for competing. But our next dancer…
Korey Cleveland- 24- St Louis, MO- Team Street
He starts to talk about why he started dancing and he starts to cry, luckily we cut away to his packaged story. His mom was a crack addict, and his dad wasn’t around. He also got addicted to crack, and he spent two years in prison. He’s 30 days sober. There’s even a bit of MJ in his dance. He mostly mixes krump with animation, but also a bit of Michael Jackson style in there. He’s not the best hip hopper we’ve seen, but he’s worth a shot at Vegas. I feel for this guy. Korey’s through to Vegas, and promises to stay clean till then. Will he handle being cut though? Hopefully.
Click to Watch Korey Cleveland’s Audition Video
Shafeek is back. I know I butchered his name, but he got montaged this year. So I didn’t see the spelling of it. I remember him having a bad attitude in the past.
Click to Watch Virgil Street Dancer Montage Video
Coming up, a tapper, and some crazy dude pretending to be Jason Derulo.
Justin Ballasy- 18- Allentown, PA- Team Street
He’s a tapper/hoofer. Interesting that he’s competing for Team Street. He’s an incredible taper. It’s super fast. He loses his musicality though, which Nigel notes. I think he pulls it back together though. He just wanted a chance to show how fast he could tap, and just threw musicality out the window. Paula calls him the Whiplash of tap. Nigel asks him what time signature his music was in, and Justin says 4/4. It was 3/4. Nigel is against machine gun tap. Paula is a Yes, Nigel is a Yes, and Jason’s a Yes. He’s got the talent, and just needs to find the musicality. Justin thought he was about to get cut, but he gets to stay around.
Click to Watch Justin Ballasy’s Audition Video
Mr Hollywood (Thomas Condello)- 20- Staten Island, NY- Team Street
This has to be a joke contestant. He can’t be good, right? His dancing in the package is awful. He says he loves to entertain. He’s here to be “the top dancer in the United States of America.” His mom’s friend gave him his nickname. He shreds paper for a living. This is bizarre. He’s awful. Seems like a nice guy, but not a dancer. His moms friend should have stopped him from auditioning. Parents, stop letting your untalented children audition for reality competition series. Now he says he does Jason Derulo impersonations. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have autotune, but he gets a standing O from the judges for his impersonation anyway. I don’t know what’s happening anymore. Jason says “I don’t know what style that was” and adds he’s not right for the show. Paula says he’s an entertainer, but she doesn’t know what for yet. Jason says he can’t. Neither can the others. He’s cut. Balance has been restored.
Click to Watch Mr Hollywood’s Audition Video
Angyil and Cookie- Team Street
Two street dancers. Allowed to audition together. Interesting. I can’t tell which one is which, but their level of dance is pretty similar. I’m so happy we’re embracing female hip hop this season, but we’ve seen stronger dancers already. Nevertheless, they get a standing O from Jason. Nigel says they’ve never had a girl battle on the show. Jason said he’d pay to watch that. Jason says Yes to Angyil, and Paula says Angyil has star quality. Paula says Cookie is limited. Jason says yes to Cookie also. Paula says Cookie isn’t ready. Nigel says Yes to Angyil, and No to Cookie. Nigel tells Cookie to try out again, but only Angyil is getting the ticket.
Click to Watch Angyil and Cookie’s Audition Video
Allyson Wilcox- 19- Las Vegas, NV- Team Stage
She works in a show in Las Vegas. She gets to dance in the show. 18 and she’s already in a Vegas show. Good for her. She’s a good dancer, but her choreo is kinda blah. She’s going to really have to push to stand out in Vegas. She’s got technique down, but she’s missing the “star quality” we talk about sometimes. Paula says “everything just worked”, and Paula also says the ability is greater than the choreography. Jason loved her arabesque. Nigel is giving her a ticket to Vegas, where she lives. So, it’s kinda like she’s being sent home… but she’s also advancing. LOL.
Click to Watch Allyson Wilcox’s Audition Video
Montage of Team Stage dancers getting a ticket to Vegas. Solid dancers.
At the end of Day 1, a Hurricane hits… his name is Hurricane, I mean.
Alain “Hurricane” Lauture- Originally From Port Au Prince, Haiti- Team Street
He was living in Haiti with his mom, but his mom sent him to America for a better life. He’s doing some locking. He’s a fun guy, but again, I think we’ve seen better Team Street dancers. Maybe he’ll prove me wrong in Vegas, but Team Street is already stacked. He was just alright for me. Nigel says he enjoys seeing people having fun. Paula thought it was fun, and nostalgic. Nigel says Yes. Paula says Yes. Jason says Yes. Vegas!
Click to Watch Alain “Hurricane” Lauture’s Audition Video
Kenya Welch- 18- Franklin, NH, and Connor Bermingham- 18- Team Stage
They’re auditioning together. They’re doing a contemporary duet to Say Something. She’s a better dancer than he is, but that just means I think she has Top 10 potential and he doesn’t. She could be a contender. She has that star quality we haven’t seen in a while. Paula understands why they performed it together. Paula was impressed by the strength and technique and emotion. Nigel says it was one of the best today. Jason thought it was a joy to watch. Nigel tries to pull a prank on them, but they’re both getting tickets.
Click to Watch Kenya Welch’s Audition Video
I’m a little sad Twitch doesn’t get to choreograph Team Street, but Travis gets to choreo Team Stage.
Day Two!
And it’s snowing.
Ryan Raffloer- 18- Brooklyn, NY- Team Stage
He’s doing Latin Ballroom solo. He’s been dancing for 11 years. His mom forced him to dance at first. She’s in the audience supporting him. His mom says she pushed him off the streets, and she’s proud of her work. His mom is really into it. He’s got the technique, but I like my ballroom dancers a bit more masculine. I think it might be the distracting Nick Carter hairstyle he’s chosen to wear, but he’s not Pascha or Dmitri, even though Nigel compares him to Dmitri. He says it was over the top, but that’s what he has to do without a partner. Paula says he’s interesting, and Jason says he feels expensive. He’s going to VEGAS!
Click to Watch Ryan Raffloer’s Audition Video
“Anime” Bobby Major- 21- Brooklyn, NY- Team Street
He’s an animator. His mom taught him a two-step, and he was hooked. His fiance is in the audience. OK. Now this kid could compete for a team 10 spot. He’s got to work on the facial expressions, but otherwise, he’s a great dancer, with some fun moves, and incredible flexibility. He slows it down, speeds it up, does everything he needs to do. Standing ovation from all judges. No comments, just tickets.
Click to Watch “Anime” Bobby Major’s Audition Video
Ken Swift is a pioneer of breakdancing, and gives us the history of breaking.
Eliazer Chapman- 18- Bronx, NY- Team Street
When he was 4, he lived in a homeless shelter… where he stayed for 10 years. He got into breaking to stay out of trouble. He street performs all over New York. Supposedly he danced enough to get his family out of the homeless shelter. Easily one of the best B-Boys… ever on the show. He has all the moves. I wanted to see more. They cut his music too soon. Paula says he’s a cool B-Boy, and Jason says he was “all there for it”. Yes from everyone and he’s through to Vegas.
Click to Watch Eliazer Chapman’s Audition Video
Coming up… Breaker Ballet.
A montage of street dancers making it. Megan, Robotic Ryan. Britney. Jason tells Robotic Ryan he could win the whole thing. All three dancers were really strong for montaged dancers. Megan reminds me of Lori Petty.
Ian Williams- 30- Floral Park, NY- Team Stage?
He’s trying to make Breaker Ballet happen. We shall see. He’s not leaving the stage without a ticket. Interestingly, in his package, he said he was 31, but the video shows 30. Hmmmm. He’s not a particularly good ballet dancer. Maybe it doesn’t matter because he gets cut. Ian apologizes immediately to Nigel, knowing his solo was crap. Ian’s been dancing for 7 years (he started at 23? That’s really late bro.). There was no hip hop there. It’s a no from all judges. Nigel tells him to come back. Can he? Isn’t he too old?
Click to Watch Ian Williams’ Audition Video
A montage of bad dancers. Someone attempted Kung Fu Ballet. Oh lord.
Darius Drooh- 22- New York, NY- Stage
His love for Paula Abdul runs deep. Paula is his inspiration to be a dancer. One of the stronger male contemporary dancers. He might have a Top 10 shot. Jason says the choreography wasn’t “bing bang boom”, but he made the simple choreo look bing bang boom. Nigel said it was so constant, and he wanted more stops. Paula says he has a lot of style and technique. Nigel has him do some of Paula’s choreo. Darius gets his friend on stage to do the choreo with him. They actually know the choreo pretty well. His friend isn’t as good of a dancer as he is. I know why he isn’t auditioning. Not a bad dancer, but a year or two out from being ready for Vegas. Paula tells Darius he’s wonderful, and Darius starts to cry. this is what happens when someone is a real fan, and not a “fake fan” for the sake of the show. This kid was legit stoked to see Paula Abdul. He’s going to Vegas.
Click to Watch Darius Drooh’s Audition Video
We’re getting a sneak peek at Vegas Week tonight.
Alyssa Guerrieri-19-Philadelphia, PA-Team Stage
She wants to be on Team Stage. She started dancing because of her grandma, who is almost 90. Nigel flirts with her grandma. Oh lord. This is a much better choreographed solo. We’ve seen so many crap solos. Alyssa finally has one that shows off a few power moves, but isn’t over repetitive nor does it rely heavily on her sexuality. She just gets to dance and show raw emotion. It’s fantastic. Good for her. Paula says she’s a breath of fresh air. She said the choreography was yummy. Jason says the acrobatics were right on, and fit in with the contemporary. She’s thru to Vegas!
Nigel dances with the Grandma.
Click to Watch Alyssa Guerrieri’s Audition Video
Season 12 auditions are over. 114 dancers are on Team Stage, 105 are on Team Street.
Not really a sneak peek at Vegas… but whatever. Just a few brief shots. Mini-commercial. Nothing special.
Who was your favorite tonight? I felt like I was underwhelmed by a few. Were you underwhelmed too? What was your level of “whelm”. Over? Under? Comment below.
As usual, join me again next week… or the bunny gets it.
Just kidding. There is no bunny.
Or is there?